The latest season of ‘Vanderpump Rules’ wrapped up with a bang, leaving fans curious about what’s next for the cast. In the finale episode titled “Plot Twist,” a producer dropped a bombshell, declaring “that’s the end,” but it appears it’s just the end of the season, not the entire series.
The drama centered around Ariana Madix and Tom Sandoval, especially due to his affair with Rachel Leviss. Ariana’s decision not to film scenes with her ex caused tension among her friends, notably Scheana Shay and her husband, Brock Davies.
While Katie Maloney supported Ariana’s choice, Scheana and Lala sided with Sandoval. Lala, who had been keeping quiet all season of the reality show, finally spoke up, expressing frustration with Ariana’s quick recovery from the cheating scandal and questioning her sudden moral high ground.
Vanderpump Rules pauses Season 12 production: Andy Cohen explains
TMZ was the first to report that Vanderpump Rules’ next season won’t start filming until later than usual. Usually, they kick off production in May and film all summer, but this time, they’re giving the cast a break to let them “breathe a bit” after the drama surrounding Sandoval.
The network hopes for some fresh drama not involving the scandal he sparked in spring 2023. Another reason for the delay is Ariana Madix’s gig as host of Love Island USA, where she’ll be filming in Fiji for a few months.
Although TMZ didn’t say exactly when filming will start for season 12, they mentioned it won’t be a whole year off. Andy Cohen shared his thoughts on the schedule change during an episode of Sirius XM’s Andy Cohen Live: “Sometimes you want to pick cameras right up quickly, because there’s stuff happening and you want to get in there right away. And sometimes you do want people to live their lives and see how things develop and you know, so, I think it’s a very good idea.”
When season 12 rolls around, fans can expect some big developments, like Madix and Katie Maloney’s sandwich shop, Something About Her, finally opening on May 22. Also, Lala Kent is due to give birth to her second child in early September. Fans will also see if the Toms’ (Schwartz and Sandoval) new relationships survive. Sandoval’s dating model Victoria Lee Robinson, his first relationship since the scandal, while Schwartz is with 23-year-old TikToker Sophia Skoro.
Lisa Vanderpump shared her thoughts on the future of VPR with ET, saying the audience is attached to the cast, and there’s always a story to tell. She believes they’ll know when it’s time to shake things up.